About the scheme (young health champion)
How does it work?
Secondary schools
Most young health champions are engaged by their school as Year 9 students, who can be recruited and trained to start their role in September of Year 10. Some schools recruit students from across the year group as young health champions, while others encourage an entire year-group to take the qualification, or embed it into specific courses related to physical education or health and social care.
Youth groups
The qualification can be delivered over a longer period of time in youth group settings. Youth workers can also benefit from accessing this qualification as they are then fully trained to be able to pass on messages about healthy choices to all the young people they work with.
More about the RSPH qualification
Young people from age 14 can undertake the RSPH Level 2 Certificate for Youth Health Champions, which consists of four modules to:
- understand the key determinants of health
- conduct research about the health facilities in their own community
- practise delivering health messages to peers
- complete a specialist module to deepen understanding of a specific aspect of health such as alcohol misuse, physical activity, healthy weight and healthy eating, sexual health, stop smoking or substance misuse
- read a case study on the Young Health Movement website
Real-life stories
Read the experiences of two young health champions:
Find out more
- about setting up a YHC programme in your area by contacting RSPH to discuss potential opportunities
- about the full syllabus for the YHC qualification
- about the young health champions programme
- from the public health team in your local authority
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